Nikon Coolpix 5900

Viewfinder
Viewfinders on most compact digital cameras are useless and overrated. Here's the lowdown on the viewfinder on board the Nikon Coolpix 5900. The optical viewfinder on the 5900 is the very small glass circle at the top right of the camera body (when viewing from the front); it provides an approximated and quite inaccurate view of the scene. Although most windows on compact models offer a restricted viewing perspective of the composition, electronic viewfinders generally come far closer to the recorded frame than their optical counterparts.

LCD Screen
The Nikon Coolpix 5900 has a 2-inch 115k dot amorphous silicon LCD screen that takes up the majority of the back of the camera. With the limited perspective offered by the camera’s compromised optical viewfinder, users will likely rely on the LCD screen for both viewing and composing images. The 115,000 pixels of resolution did not seem overwhelmingly clear, though it is more than ample for scrolling through menu options. The additional inclusion of a manual LCD brightness adjustment will prove a significant advantage when viewing outdoors.

Flash
The instant flash is built into the front side of the Nikon Coolpix 5900’s body. The Speed Light is effective from 1-14 feet with a width of 1-11 feet. Flashes are overrated on these small cameras, and it’s best to go with natural light. But when that’s not possible, I suppose this direct flash will do the trick. The 11-14 ft. maximum illumination range does not offer anything beyond most fixed flash units on competing compact models, though it is on par with the pack. Without a hot shoe, users will have enough lighting available for direct portraits, but not much more. I wonder when camera companies will put the flash on a hinge so it can be better aimed and controlled?

Zoom Lens
The Nikon Coolpix 5900 is armed with an f/2.8-f/8.2, 3x optical zoom all-glass Nikkor lens with a macro mode that focuses as close as 1.6 inches. The variable focal length lens contains a zoom range of 7.8-23.4mm, equivalent to 38mm-114mm in 35mm format. The zoom is pretty quick, mostly steady, and the LCD responds well. Don’t expect a smooth zoom though, as it’s irrelevant on the compact digital cameras. When additional magnification is sought without regard for the accompanying compromise in image quality, users can apply an additional 4x digital zoom.